Our story
What connects the Sex Pistols, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Talk Talk, Syd Barrett, Billie Holiday, Jethro Tull, The Clash, Hippies, Fairport Convention, Laurent Garnier, Dinosaur Jr, Opeth, Andy Summers, Disco, Napalm Death, Tarja, The British Underground Press of the Sixties, The Police and Lacuna Coil?
We do. Here at Rocket 88 Books, we’ve worked with ex-punks, hippies, prog legends, Rave DJs, Black cultural curators, Scandinavian death metal pioneers, some of the world’s biggest-selling rock and pop acts and founders of the 1960s counter-cultural revolution. Our publishing programme combines parts of what were once polar-opposite sides of the musical and cultural divide. We connect directly with readers on a personal level and from a position of affinity. Our aim is to create a list of books which explore and celebrate the lives and art of creatives regardless of genre, style, age or even dress sense.
We publish without prejudice, but with curiosity and authenticity.
Rocket 88 books are created with artists and authors who contribute throughout the process of making their book. We will continue producing books which are beautiful to hold and look at, involving (exciting, even) to read, and that are objects to treasure and keep. After a decade of creating beautiful books, we are looking to a future in which we will continue to work with the most interesting authors and make outstanding books, but also to expand what we do.
We invite you to check in with us as we develop more books with and for like-minded people who appreciate reading and exploring the experiences of musicians, artists, and writers. We’ll be publishing new and sometimes classic books in the future, making new connections with a wide range of creative forces and developing different ways of sharing some of that with you.
Thanks for reading this far and we very much hope that you’ll stick with us on our journey of exploration and discovery.